Best Vehicle Speed Tracking Systems for Cars

When it comes to vehicle speed monitors, we think Verizon Connect definitely dominates the asphalt. Scoring a 4.7/5 in our independent research, the reason Verizon Connect is miles ahead of its competitors. This is because of its extensive driver management functionality; its swift and automatic route optimisation; and speedy, 30-second data refresh that helps you keep on track of your fleet, regardless of its size. All of these features will help you cut back on fuel by covering less distance, and meet your lead time contracts.

Finding a GPS tracker that works for your fleet can be a tricky item to check off your vehicle tracking wish list. After all, you need it to provide an accurate estimate of vehicle speed, update data quickly, and store information for future business decisions regarding your fleet. In addition to this, you want it to fit your budget. While all of these criteria piled together might seem daunting, we’re offering you a shortcut. We’ve scoured the market, gathering our own independent research, to give you the insights you need to confidently pick your next vehicle speed monitoring solution. 

We understand that finding your next GPS tracker isn’t an easy feat so, if after reading our list you’re still on the fence, you can use our free quote comparison tool. We’ll connect you with the providers best suited to your fleet’s needs with obligation-free quotes.

The best vehicle speed trackers

Verizon Connect

Best all-round speed monitoring system

Verizon Connect is a fantastic option if your priority is to find a vehicle tracking solution that will seamlessly connect your fleet’s management and your drivers.

Integrated with Verizon’s Vehicle Tracking plan, known as Verizon Connect, the Spotlight app offers excellent efficiency features that enable you to automatically optimise routes to know the current location and status of your drivers. It also has some of the best tracking features you can use on the motorway, giving you updated data every 30 seconds. Because of this, Verizon takes home a stellar 5/5 for tracking, and a 5/5 for driver management in our in-depth research.

Verizon Connect runs into significant speed bumps when it comes to flexibility and price. With the typical offer asking subscribers to commit to a three-year contract, investing in Verizon can represent a big commitment for fleets that are still on the fence about switching their vehicle tracking system. Verizon also is pricier than the other providers we look at on this list, which is why it scores an average 2.5/5 for price in our research – the lowest score of all the providers we look at. If you’re looking for an option with short-term contracts, we’d recommend swerving towards Teletrac Navman TN360. For something on the cheaper end, we think RAM is a great alternative.

Samsara

Best for driver management features

Speed and safety seem like two things that don’t mix. After all, it’s no secret that speeding is dangerous. However, Samsara’s quick, live mapping refresh times, and its strong focus on the wellbeing of your fleet, are designed to give you the peace of mind necessary to ensure your drivers are getting to their destinations on time and without any unfortunate accidents.

What sets Samsara apart is its driver messaging system that prevents drivers from reading messages while driving. Once you are alerted to your employee’s erratic driving, you can communicate directly in real time, ensuring your fleet is safe in real time as well. Thanks to its strong set of vehicle management features, Samsara takes home a strong 4.6/5 overall rating in our independent research, as well as a stellar 5/5 for driver management features.

However, the downside to Samsara is that it’s not for everyone. Scoring an above-average 3.1/5 for price in our research, Samsara is on the pricier end of the spectrum, ranging from £10.83 to £23.75 for a monthly licence. Samsara also requires you to take out a contract of at least three years, representing a long-term commitment that might not be the best course of action for all fleets. If this sounds like a dealbreaker for your business, we’d recommend looking at Teletrac Navman TN360, which scores a slightly higher 3.4/5 for price.

Teletrac Navman TN360

Best for reporting

Being able to collect lots of data to identify gaps in performance – or optimise your routes – is crucial when it comes to fleet management. Scoring an overall 4.5/5 in our in-depth research, Teletrac Navman speeds ahead with its innovative reporting features that will give you the confidence to make crucial business decisions.

With its smart and futuristic reporting feature, you can simply write in search phrases like “show me fuel consumption by x vehicle for the past 7 days”, and – magic! Teletrac will generate a report and a chart graphic on command. It also has a solid range of vehicle and driver management features, including driver messaging, history, and behaviour management.

Teletrac does have a flat tire if we focus on its route optimization capacity and its price. For starters, its system can’t automatically optimise routes, meaning you have to spend time manually finding a new strategy that will save you distance, time, and, most importantly in this economy, fuel. Scoring an above average 3.4/5 for price, it also isn’t the most affordable solution on the market. So, if this is a deal-breaker for your fleet, we’d recommend looking at RAM or Radius Fleet Services instead.

Reasons for introducing speed monitoring to your fleet

The cost of speeding

When your drivers speed, it’s you who pays the price. Fuel usage, safety risks, and speeding fines will all increase, as well as vehicle wear and tear. Meanwhile, your company’s reputation may also take a hit.

Higher fuel consumption

There is a clear link between the speed at which you drive and the amount of fuel you use.

Did you know that you can reduce your fuel consumption by 25% just by following the speed limit? It may depend on the fuel type and the size of your vehicle, but you can drastically lower your fuel usage by driving safely. It’s as easy as remaining at a steady 70mph on the motorway— and resisting the urge to punch it to 85mph. With hiking fuel prices, the last thing you want for your budget is throwing money away for speeding. 

Increased risk of accidents

It goes without saying, but driving at any speed comes with its own set of risks. It’s also widely known that the faster you drive, the less time you have to respond in an emergency. For every km/h increase in speed, the chance of an accident increases by 3%.

Reduced idle time

A van off the road can cost up to £800 per day, so the last thing you want is to have your vehicles standing by idly. Having a speed tracking system can therefore help you ensure your drivers are, in fact, well on their way to their destination and aren’t leaving the engine on, costing you money for fuel wastage.

Legal implications

Even though your drivers may be personally responsible for paying the speeding fines, penalty points can affect your insurance premiums. Too many of these will mean that you’ll have to spend additional time and money to recruit and train new staff.

Increased wear and tear

Although most modern vehicles are able to sustain high speeds without coming to harm, tyre wear increases with speed as the tyre gets hotter. Cornering at speed, braking hard, and rapid acceleration all wear your tyres out faster. 

Company reputation

If your vehicles are branded, then your business reputation is at stake if your drivers speed. According to research conducted by RAC, a third of motorists exceed the speed limit, even when that limit is 60 MPH. Whether the effect is conscious or subliminal, if your vehicles are seen speeding or breaking any other rules of the road, it will have a negative impact on how your business is viewed. 

How can vehicle tracking providers help monitor speeding

Vehicle speed monitoring systems are easy to implement. Each vehicle in your fleet will be fitted with a car speed monitoring device in the form of a GPS tracker. This will estimate the speed of the vehicle by taking GPS location readings and measuring the time between them. GPS speeds are generally more accurate than the speed displayed on the speedometer, with the only real source of error occurring on steep inclines and declines.

The speeds are relayed to a central hub, generally over GPS mobile networks. Software will analyse the readings and compare the recorded speed with the prevailing speed limit at that location. When a car exceeds the speed limit, an alert is flagged. This can be sent to the business in the form of a text alert or email message. Your fleet manager can monitor the speed of each car in the fleet at any given time.

You’ve heard the ins and outs about why fleets need vehicle speed monitoring systems, but what about your fleet and your needs? Fleets differ in terms of their size and demands—vehicle tracking providers vary just as much to meet those needs. 

Choosing the right provider can seem like a tall order – and you want to get it right. We’ve done the legwork and highlighted three of the best vehicle tracking solutions on the market today. Let’s take a look and find the right one for you!

The impact of car speed tracking

Implementing a GPS speed tracker will have a significant impact on your drivers. Just being more aware of their speed is likely to make them less likely to speed, and knowing that the fleet manager can check and record their speed every mile of the journey will certainly make them think twice before exceeding the speed limit.

The results will be:

• Reduced fuel consumption
• Fewer speeding tickets
• A reduced accident rate
• Reduced wear and tear on your vehicles
• A positive impact on your business’ reputation

You should also benefit from reduced insurance premiums. While some insurance companies might reduce your premium just because you have installed speed trackers for cars, making fewer insurance claims will have a big impact as you are more likely to retain your no-claims discount.

How did we find the best speed tracking systems?

Our team of independent researchers did an in-depth dive into seven of the most used and top-rated project management suppliers on the market. After compiling all the needed information, we then narrowed it down to the top five vehicle tracking apps based on these factors:

• Price: the platforms with the most competitive prices score the highest
• Tracking: we look at how good the providers are at tracking, based on their offering of fleet summary reports, custom locations, scheduling and dispatching drivers, automatic route optimisation, and more
• Driver management: we assess how easy it’s to manage drivers based on whether you can access driving history, driver messaging, driver ID, driver behaviour management, crash reporting, and more
• Vehicle management: we find whether you have access to vehicle diagnostics, fleet maintenance records, speed control, distance travelled, engine temperature, cargo temperature, theft prevention, and more
• Features: whichever provider offers the widest range of features will rank above those with a thin offering
• Customer support: we look at the type of features the providers offer to support their customers in case of a vehicle tracking SOS

After factoring in all of the individual scores from these categories, we calculated an overall score for each supplier to help guide your buying decisions.